Precision approach radar

The precision approach radar (PAR, Eng. Precision approach radar) was developed during World War II to safely guide the returning from the use of pilots, even in poor weather conditions for landing. For this system no additional equipment other than radio in the aircraft was necessary.

After the war, the PAR was used after some further developments in the field of civil aviation. So for the first time was a scheduled flight operations are recorded.

The PAR is part of a system, which is known under the name of GCA (ground controlled approach). For GCA an ASR belongs ( Aerodrome Surveillance Radar - surveillance radar ) and a PAR.

The air traffic controller at the PAR accepts an aircraft from an air traffic controller on the ASR in the Endanflugsektor (approx. 18 km) was performed. From this point the pilot with course information and Sinkfluginformationen is conducted verbally decision height. At decision height, the pilot has the runway so you can see that a landing after sight is possible. With a PAR I ( 60 m vertical vision and 550 m horizontal visibility ) will be flown to CAT. Exceptions with worse weather data ( 30 m vertical and 400 m horizontal perspective view) are possible under certain conditions.

In the 1960s, almost all -weather landing systems were converted in civil aviation on ILS and MLS. PAR systems were further developed in the military and are on military airfields still in operation.